Share Trading comparison
Commsec Pocket vs IG Australia
CommSec Pocket is a stripped-back, low-cost ETF-only app from the Commonwealth Bank, while IG Australia is a full-service broker offering ASX and international shares, CFDs, and advanced order types. The biggest practical difference is ownership structure: Pocket is CHESS-sponsored (you get your own HIN), whereas IG holds your shares in custody under its own nominee. That custody model lets IG offer $0 ASX brokerage, but it comes with trade-offs around control and dividend reinvestment.
Choose
Commsec Pocket
if…
- ›You want CHESS sponsorship and your own HIN, so shares are registered in your name on the ASX
- ›You're happy sticking to ASX ETFs and don't need individual shares, US stocks, or international markets
- ›You want to set up automatic dollar-cost averaging into a single ETF each month
- ›You prefer a simple mobile-only experience backed by the Commonwealth Bank ecosystem
- ›You want dividend reinvestment plans (DRP) on your ETF holdings without extra admin
Choose
IG Australia
if…
- ›You want $0 brokerage on ASX trades up to $10,000 — no minimum trade count required
- ›You need access to US shares, UK stocks, or European markets alongside ASX trading
- ›You want advanced order types like stop-loss and conditional orders, plus after-hours trading
- ›You need joint, company, trust, or SMSF account structures
- ›You want to trade CFDs or use a demo account to test strategies before committing real money
Where they differ
| Fact | Commsec Pocket | IG Australia |
|---|---|---|
| ASX brokerage (up to $1,000) | $2 flat | $0 flat |
| CHESS sponsorship | Yes (own HIN) | No (custodial) |
| US & international shares | Not supported | US, UK, Germany, Ireland |
| Account types | Individual only | Individual, Joint, Company, Trust, SMSF |
| Auto-invest / DCA | Yes (single ETF) | No |
Verdict
Choose CommSec Pocket for simple, CHESS-sponsored ETF investing; choose IG for zero-commission ASX trades and global market access.
Cost calculator
What would Commsec Pocket vs IG Australia actually cost you?
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All data points side-by-side
Every verified fact for both platforms. Differences are highlighted.
| Field | Commsec Pocket | IG Australia |
|---|---|---|
| account structure | ||
| CHESS sponsorship model | chess | custodian |
| Individual HIN | Yes | No |
| Individual account | Yes | Yes |
| Joint account | No | Yes |
| Company account | No | Yes |
| Trust account | No | Yes |
| SMSF account | No | Yes |
| Kids / minor account | No | — |
| asset coverage | ||
| ASX shares supported | Yes | Yes |
| ASX ETFs supported | Yes | Yes |
| US shares supported | No | Yes |
| US ETFs supported | No | Yes |
| Other markets supported | United Kingdom, Germany, Ireland | |
| Fractional shares (ASX) | No | No |
| Fractional shares (US) | No | No |
| Options trading | No | No |
| CFDs supported | No | Yes |
| Managed funds | No | No |
| Bonds supported | No | No |
| IPO access | No | Yes |
| costs hidden | ||
| FX spread (AUD/USD) | — | 0.7% |
| FX spread (other currencies) | — | 0.7% |
| Holds USD account | — | Yes |
| Market data fees | $0/month | $0/month |
| Conditional order fees | — | $0 |
| Corporate action fees | Corporate actions (rights issues, SPPs, takeovers) are administered via the underlying ETF issuers/share registries since holdings are CHESS-sponsored under the investor's HIN; CommSec does not charge a separate corporate action fee. | Corporate actions (dividends, splits, rights issues, takeovers) for shares held in custody are processed by IG via Citicorp Nominees; cash dividends are credited net of withholding to client ledger. SPP/rights elections are limited under the custodial model and detailed fees are disclosed in the IG Share Trading Customer Agreement / FSG. |
| costs visible | ||
| ASX brokerage minimum | $2 | $0 |
| ASX brokerage percentage | 0.2% | 0% |
| ASX brokerage threshold | $1,000 | $10,000 |
| ASX free trade conditions | Promotional $0 brokerage offer on Pocket ETF trades from 20 April 2026 to 17 July 2026 inclusive, available to all CommSec Pocket customers. | $0 commission on all ASX shares and ETFs on the IG Share Trading account (no conditions/minimum trade count). A 0.25% p.a. platform fee on holdings value applies; 0.7% FX fee applies to international trades. |
| US brokerage minimum | — | US$0 |
| US brokerage percentage | — | 0% |
| Monthly platform fee | $0/month | $0/month |
| Annual platform fee | $0/year | $0/year |
| Inactivity fee | $0 | $0 |
| Withdrawal fee (AUD) | $0 | $0 |
| Off-market transfer fee | $54 | — |
| identity and trust | ||
| Legal entity name | Commonwealth Securities Limited | IG Australia Pty Ltd |
| AFSL number | 238,814 | 515,106 |
| Year founded | 2,019 | 2,002 |
| Parent / ownership | Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) | IG Group Holdings plc (LSE: IGG) |
| Country of incorporation | AU | AU |
| Public company status | public | public |
| money movement | ||
| Minimum initial deposit | $50 | $0 |
| Minimum subsequent purchase | $50 | — |
| Deposit methods | Linked CBA transaction account (CDIA, Smart Access, Streamline Basic, NetBank Saver, etc.) - direct debit | bank transfer, BPAY, debit card, credit card, PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay |
| Settlement period | T+2 | T+2 (ASX), T+1 (US) |
| Withdrawal time | 1-2 business days | 1-3 business days |
| platform ux | ||
| iOS app | Yes | Yes |
| Android app | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop platform | No | Yes |
| Demo account | No | Yes |
| Free real-time market data | No | No |
| Free research reports | No | Yes |
| 2FA support | SMS + PIN | authenticator app |
| Customer support channels | phone, email, in-app messaging | phone, email, live chat, social media |
| Support hours (AU time) | Mon-Fri 8:00am-6:00pm AET (phone) | 24/5 Monday to Friday (closed weekends) |
| Education content | structured courses | video + courses |
| tax and reporting | ||
| Australian tax statement | Yes | Yes |
| Distribution component breakdown | No | — |
| CGT calculator / report | Yes | Yes |
| Sharesight / Navexa integration | Yes | — |
| trading mechanics | ||
| Market orders | Yes | Yes |
| Limit orders | Yes | Yes |
| Stop loss orders | No | Yes |
| Conditional orders | No | Yes |
| Auto-invest / DCA | Yes | No |
| Auto-invest sophistication | single asset | none |
| DRP (dividend reinvestment) | Yes | No |
| After-hours / overnight trading | No | Yes |